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Happy Thursday everybody. Just to let you all know, starting tomorrow, I start my vacation. I will work a half day tomorrow, then will be home all next week for Speedweeks on ESPN and SPEED. I of course will try to put out my list everyday, but don't count on it! Hope everyone is ready for the season. I know I am!
"I love what I do; I love this business."
-- Bobby Hamilton Sr, March 2006 as he announced he had cancer
"While our drivers are probably not nearly in the physical condition of the NBA's All-Stars, the Daytona 500 is going to have 43 of the top drivers in the country, trained to drive at speeds in excess of 180 mph. Now that's intense! The NBA only has like 20 or 25 basketball players playing."
--Benny Parsons
Quote of the Day
"Am I aiming to win? I'm more aiming to getting the car to the end of the race, to be realistic."
Juan Montoya, on the Daytona 500
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News gathered from multiple sources, including but not limited to: Jayski.com, Cup Scene Daily, Thatsracin.com, catchfence.com, nascar.com, yahoo!, espn.com and others.
TNT to go without ads during Daytona
TNT will incorporate advertising into its broadcast of the July Nextel Cup race at Daytona in place of commercial breaks, a network official said Wednesday.
This would be the first time a network broadcasting a Cup race has limited or eliminated commercial breaks by showing the advertising on-screen during the race.
Turner Sports executive producer Jeff Behnke said the plan "is going to happen."
"We have a lot of pride in being innovative and exploratory with ways to do our broadcast," Behnke said. "The fans and viewers at home that see our broadcast in July will be very surprised with our product."
Jeff Gordon and his supermodel wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, will be welcoming a baby girl in July.
They recently learned the gender of their baby.
"I'm trying to tell everyone, 'Not just pink!"' Vandebosch says in the upcoming issue of Us Weekly.
UPDATE: hearing that #37 team over John Carter will still own the #37 team, with RJ Racing partnering up with Front Row Motorsports in 2007.(2-4-2007) UPDATE 2: Front Row Motorsports (FRM) announced today they will run two (2) cars during the 2007 Nextel Cup season. FRM will run the #34 driven by Kevin Lepage with Randy Seals as the crew chief. For the second FRM entry, team owner Bob Jenkins has formed a partnership with John Carter. The team will convert the #61 from 2006 to the #37 for the 2007 season. The team has hired Bill Elliott to run a limited number of events, with Chad Chaffin slated to compete in the remainder of the schedule. Mark Tutor will serve has crew chief for the team. NASCAR veteran Gere Kennon will be Director of Competition and oversee the efforts of both teams. Both teams will run Dodge Chargers powered by motors built by Ernie Elliott Inc.(FRM PR)
Other leagues have pensions. Today's 10-year veterans in baseball will receive a six-figure annual payout beginning at age 62. Even middle-of-the-road professional golfers can pile up millions under the PGA Tour's deferred-compensation plan, which puts money away for players based on performance. An NFL player with six seasons between 1998 and 2003 will get about $2,500 a month beginning at age 55, and the NBA has a similar plan. The NHL contributes about $45,000 per year to retirement accounts for veterans. The ATP and WTA tours make annual contributions averaging between $7,500 and $9,500 to retirement accounts for each tennis player. NASCAR's policy always has been that its drivers are "independent contractors" who bear full responsibility for their finances, health care, retirement and life insurance. Few in NASCAR are arguing for a fund to help today's drivers, who make millions from team contracts and even more from race purses and merchandise sales. Jeff Gordon, the sport's all-time money leader, has won a record $82,366,716 through 14 full seasons and isn't sure what the responsibility should be.
Ballew and Lester many attempt some Cup races: Craftsman Truck Series owner Billy Ballew, #15 Chevy with driver Bill Lester, says, "This team already has the capability to advance to the Cup level and we would like to run Bill Lester in a couple races this year, provided we have adequate funding. In 2008 we would run a select number Cup races in the car of tomorrow races with plans to run a full Cup season in 2009. This is a plan that we think can work and isn't cost prohibitive to the investor. It has to be a win-win situation for everyone involved."(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)
DAVID POOLE/The Charlotte Observer
A new Hutchens Hybrid head and neck restraint device has passed safety testing and is now available for NASCAR touring series drivers to use in private tests. Safety Solutions and LFT Technologies will work with teams and develop inventory until July 13, when the device will be allowed for use in competition. The Hybrid will join the HANS device as the only head and neck restraint systems allowed by NASCAR.
The quixotic bid by 72-year-old driver James Hylton to make this year's Daytona 500 field will be backed by Retirement Living TV, a Maryland-based network aimed at viewers 55 and up. "James spirit is everything that Retirement Television stands for," said Ed Beimfohr, vice president of marketing for Retirement Living TV. "We believe that you are never too old to go out and accomplish goals. ...Achievement is ageless."
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Mark Martin and his Ginn Racing team are holding an auction to raise money for Central Florida residents who were affected by last week's tornadoes.
Martin and the team will be auctioning the "Ultimate Mark Martin/Daytona 500 Dream Package," which includes the hood Martin's No. 01 Chevrolet, two VIP suite tickets to Daytona Speedweeks, a day as honorary crew chief at the Daytona 500 and laps around Daytona International Speedway with Martin behind the wheel of a race car.
Fans may bid on the package on eBay until Monday. All proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross Central Florida relief programs.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and Ken Schrader will help promote Spay Day USA to raise awareness of the need for spaying or neutering dog and cats in the U.S.
The Humane Society of the United States' national campaign promotes spaying or neutering as an effective way to end the need for the euthanasia of homeless pets.
"Across the nation, county animal shelters have to put dogs and cats to death because there aren't enough homes for all of the puppies and kittens being born each year," Newman said. "The only statistically proven way to stop the animal overpopulation epidemic is by spaying and neutering pets. We have to prevent unwanted breeding to save lives."
This year marks the 13th annual Spay Day USA.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that ownership in Dale Earnhardt Inc. is still the prevailing issue in his contract negotiations with the company his father founded.
Speaking at NASCAR Media Day on Thursday, Earnhardt Jr. said that he wanted majority ownership in the team owned and operated by his stepmother, Teresa. Asked if he wanted more than 50 percent ownership, Earnhardt Jr. said, "Absolutely."
The son of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt is in contract negotiations with DEI since his current contract ends this year.
"The main factor is the ownership part," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It has nothing to do with money and nothing else, really. I really like my team. ... Everything is on the upswing. But my father has been gone for five, six years now, and I want majority ownership."
Earnhardt Jr. met new DEI President Max Siegel for lunch Wednesday, but he said that was more of a get-acquainted session.
"That was the first time me and him sat around and talked," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Yesterday was just lunch. He told me where he came from, what his upbringing was like, basically his whole history and what he was about and why he took the job."
The driver said he gave Siegel, a former gospel music executive, suggestions of where he thought the company should be, and they talked about ideas.
"We didn't really talk about the contract," Earnhardt Jr. said. "This guy is pretty impressive when you sit down with him and talk to him a little bit. He brings a lot of integrity and credibility wherever he is at.
"I'm excited he's at DEI. I don't think [the personalities] will affect my decision. He is a great guy to talk to and a great guy to work with. He is going to speed things up. He's going to improve the negotiations."
Earnhardt Jr. said he didn't regret some of the things he said last month about Teresa and their relationship, which he said "ain't a bed of roses." He reiterated that he wasn't happy with her comments that he needed to decide between being a public personality and a race car driver.
But Earnhardt Jr. also took exception with the notion that DEI needs him more than he needs DEI.
"I don't believe that is true - DEI provides me with a lot to be successful," he said. "They're a huge credit to everything I've ever done. ... [thanks to] the people I have had to work with, the caliber of teams I have had in the past."
That opinion isn't shared by everyone.
"He's really probably the only one that's got the bargaining power," said driver Kevin Harvick. "He's got it all on his side, and I think it's deservedly right that he does have it on his side. He's the most popular driver.
"He's been successful, and he deserves the respect of being a grown man and not being treated like he's 15 and somebody's stepson."
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Teams will not need to replace the front splitter if it is broken off during a "car of tomorrow" race, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said Thursday.
Darby said he expect teams will want to have a front splitter - a shelf that sits underneath the front valence to adjust front downforce - on the car, but it won't be a requirement.
So just as in the past, a car with a sawed off front end following a crash could be on the track.
"[The front splitter] won't be mandatory," Darby said. "But remember, it is a huge tuning tool. They're going to do everything they can do to make sure that they have a front splitter."
Teams will have to replace the rear wing in the event it is damaged, just as they have to replace the rear spoiler on a current car.
Despite Fame and Wealth, Earnhardt Jr. is Still Old School
By Rebecca Gladden / Insider Racing News
Towards the end of last season, I was standing in line at a race track shuttle stop with a group of people waiting to take the short tram ride to the infield.
It was an eclectic mix of folks standing in line that day. Mingled among energetic race fans, some of whom were making their first-ever trip to the garage area, was a number of war-weary media members, appearing burdened by the weight of their heavy cameras and laptops and by the sheer length of a competitive season that is the longest of any major sport.
Contrasting their fatigue was a particularly animated young man, mid-20s I'd say, standing directly behind me in line. He and a group of friends passed the time sharing tales of their encounters with the NASCAR drivers they'd been lucky enough to meet at various autograph sessions and fan events.
But this fellow had an unusual tale of a well-known driver he'd met in a different manner.
To hear him tell it, he was at work one day when a visitor quietly entered the business establishment and started walking casually about.
"He kind of looked familiar," the young man said. "I didn't see his face right away, so I wasn't sure who it was. He was dressed really casual in jeans and a hoodie and wearing a Budweiser cap. When he got a little closer, I could see that it was Junior!"
The race fans recollection caught the attention of several of us in line, so enthusiastic and impromptu was his delivery. He explained that his place of employment was associated with Dale Earnhardt Jr. through sponsorship.
"The funny thing was," he continued, "that no one else had noticed him yet. He didn't arrive with any fanfare and we didn't even know he was coming. He wasn't surrounded by an entourage. It was just Junior paying a visit to one of his sponsors. He was dressed so casually that to see him, you'd have no idea he was anyone special."
The fan said that as soon as he recognized the visitor, he grabbed a Sharpie and approached him for an autograph.
"He was really nice and just as down to earth as you could imagine. Of course once I asked for his autograph, other people noticed him and figured out that Junior was in the building and lined up to meet him."
Dale Jr. stayed and signed autographs for about 90 minutes, he recalled, chatting casually with employees.
"He was really cool," the young man said. "He didn't draw attention to himself or act like he was a big deal."
"He was just a regular guy."
This little eyewitness tale of a Junior encounter is nothing if not anecdotal. I imagine that some of you are already anxious to fire off an email telling me about the time you met Dale Junior and what a jerk he was.
Such is the nature of fame.
But Earnhardt Jr., who ranks among the world's most recognizable and highly paid sports figures, demonstrates an almost desperate need to show people that despite the fame and wealth -- despite the fact that he can afford to build a complete Western town, go-kart track, and golf course (the "Sausage Links") in his backyard -- he is still who he always has been - a small-town guy from Kannapolis, North Carolina, who believes in hard work and who tells anyone that will listen that he could happily go back to working on cars at his dad's auto dealership tomorrow.
But for now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is doing what he loves - driving race cars - with a unique blend of boyish enthusiasm and old school values. He often speaks of his respect for the sport's veterans and pioneers, even hosting a popular show on the SPEED Channel called, "Back in the Day" which features vintage NASCAR race highlights.
Heading into this week's season kick-off event, a non-points race known as the Bud Shootout, Earnhardt commented on last year's preseason controversy regarding slam-drafting in typical Junior fashion:
"I didn't understand why everyone was making such a big deal about it. I guess I understood their point and I wasn't saying that (bump-drafting) wasn't happening, but I always thought it was fun when you can beat and bang a little bit. I mean, this is the Shootout! It's a race! With a lot of cash! It takes about an hour-and-a-half to run, and the winner gets more than $200,000!"
"You shouldn't be able to earn that much money in that short of time and it be easy. Denny did it the hard way last year, and he deserved every bit of it. He had a great car, and he held off the best drivers in this series. We threw everything we had at him, and he threw it right back at us. That's how you win the Budweiser Shootout."
And that kind of straight talk is how you win the respect of your fans, Dale.
Former champ says equipment, not age, the difference
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
CONCORD, N.C. -- Dale Jarrett saw Darrell Waltrip riding in the back of the pack during his final years in Cup and said to himself: "That won't be me. I will know when to walk away."
Times have changed. Jarrett, now 50, says he understands why a driver hangs onto the sport long after his prime has passed, because he firmly believes:
• he physically can compete with 30-year-olds
• quality equipment overrides age
• his family will let him know when to quit
"You always wonder and wonder and look whether someone did stay around a little too long," Jarrett said. "I can see now where that becomes a difficult decision because as a race driver, I just don't see that there is any skills that I don't have that should hinder me from competing and winning."
Is it difficult to determine whether Jarrett is correct. Unlike Waltrip, Jarrett won as he approached his 50th birthday and unlike Waltrip, Jarrett had quality equipment.
Jarrett left Robert Yates Racing at the end of the 2006 season after years of decline, as evidenced by its lack of success at downforce tracks. Jarrett himself suffered his second mediocre season in four years in 2006, scoring just one top-five finish (and that was aided by fuel mileage).
The lack of results, Jarrett said, doesn't mean his ability has receded from the frontrunner he was 10 years ago, the man who won 18 races from 1996-99, culminating with the 1999 title.
His own family, Jarrett maintains, would tell him when to give up, get another job, or simply stay in Hickory, N.C., and play golf.
"The good thing that I have is a couple of people in my life that always been up front and open with me in that respect, and that is my dad and my wife," Jarrett said. "If they felt like or saw something that I didn't, they would be very willing to tell me that, and try to help me understand that my time is done."
Jarrett's outlook for 2007 is anyone's guess -- he starts the year with the fresh-faced, freshly backed Toyota team of Michael Waltrip -- but Jarrett says his age is not an issue.
"There is absolutely nothing that I can't do at 50 inside the racecar that keeps me from competing with these guys anywhere that we go," Jarrett said. "There is just nothing there. I keep myself in better physical condition than I was at 30 and 35, myself, and there is no reason that I can't.
"Not to lay it off, but none of us are any better than the equipment that we are given."
Jarrett was critical of RYR's lack of an engineering presence in recent years. He won't have that issue at Michael Waltrip Racing and if NASCAR is correct, Jarrett's ageless theory will be put to the test when the Car of Tomorrow is implemented.
NASCAR claims that the Car of Tomorrow will put more emphasis on the driver, and Jarrett says he is physically up to the task. He plans to keep driving until Nov. 2008, when he turns 52.
"Obviously this is a sport where you can be successful at a much later age than what other athletes can do," Jarrett said. "If you get the right equipment, you can continue to do this for awhile. Hopefully I can represent myself and everyone over 50 in a good way."
Jarrett still is trying to recover fully from a wreck in the closing laps at Sonoma this past summer. Jarrett received the worst end of the Talladega-style crash, which fractured his left hand.
NASCAR's week-to-week scheduling prevented the hand from properly healing, and Jarrett drove in pain for much of the second half. The hand might have healed quickly had Jarrett been able to rest it for a couple of weeks. Because of NASCAR's constant racing, he simply aggravated the injury every Sunday.
Even Jarrett's passion for playing golf on the weekdays with his father, Ned, had to be put on hold because he couldn't properly grip the club.
Jarrett elected to have offseason surgery, but he still couldn't play golf, even as North Carolina was blessed with constant 65-degree days in December.
"I still can't grip the golf club like I want to," Jarrett said. "I love to compete and that is one of the ways I get out and do that. It is just fun to me and it is a little bit of a release.
"We had the mildest winter in North Carolina in 190 years or something, and I was sitting at home and couldn't play golf but I caught up on a lot of things around the house and spent a lot of time with the kids."
Even after the surgery, the hand still throbbed during the first two days of preseason testing at Daytona. By the third day, Jarrett said, the pain went away.
"The doctor said it would be a two-month process in getting back to the golf course but I went back to driving a racecar," Jarrett said. "You're going to shock it a little there and it may take more time healing.
"I can drive the racecar, and it took a couple of days at Daytona at testing and it was pretty sore. By the third day, all of that was gone."
Jarrett knows that he will have to be pain-free this season, which he figures to be among the toughest of his 20-year career. MWR's three-car team enters the year without much guarantee of even qualifying for the field every week.
"The task here is huge. Starting a two-car team would have been large enough, jumping into three certainly made us have to look at things a lot differently," Jarrett said. "It couldn't have been a more difficult and tougher time in this sport to be bringing something like this."
It was speculated that Jarrett signed with Toyota for the paycheck -- some reports claimed he was receiving $10 million a year -- but Jarrett says that he could have walked straight into a lucrative television deal, as Darrell Waltrip did.
"I didn't take this job to log two more years," Jarrett said. "I could have gone and done some TV work. It is hard to see from the driver's seat [that] sometimes that you think your skills are still there, and they are."
By Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM
Naysayers be damned: NASCAR, the sport, is going nowhere, fast -- as in it's here to stay despite a dip in TV ratings last year. Despite the COT (and the inevitable IROC comparisons). Despite a lot of things that naysayers would have you believe.
Is the new TV deal with ABC/ESPN the end-all, be-all? No. Woohoo, the resources of the Worldwide Leader (the leading stick-and-ball network) are being utilized to promote NASCAR. Great -- but it'll still come down to the racing.
Is the Car of Tomorrow the greatest advancement in safety for a sport seemingly consumed with that aspect of racing? No. There will be newer versions of the NASCAR-mandated car which will be touted as even safer than this model, but the COT must be a racecar in more than name.
Is Juan Montoya the face of NASCAR for the near future? No. He will be a part of the sports' marketing campaign, but no one is bigger than the racing.
Is Toyota a deep-pockets boogeyman hell-bent on destroying the very fabric of this American institution? No. The Camry will be one of four makes on the track; no need to fire up the Enola Gay.
But here's where NASCAR is getting off track: manufactured excitement.
When the points and Chase changes were announced, NASCAR president and CEO Brian France said:
• "So we believe the Chase accomplished the original goals, made racing more competitive, made every race at the front end of the season, where in the postseason the final 10 races mean more, and it created more excitement."
• "Second, it maintains competition to the drivers trying to stay in the top 10. You see, when we go to New York, we'll only, as always, have the top 10 on the stage. So two people who qualify for the Chase may very well miss the New York awards ceremony and that important status of being in the top 10. We think going into Homestead that can give us two things for drivers and fans to get excited about, the championship and staying on the stage."
• "You can see that one of the little things or big things, they all go to one area, it's trying to make winning the more important focus and the more important. We're really excited about the changes today because while they may not be radical changes, they are symbolic, and they are not only symbolic, we think they are going to achieve our goals and the new system strikes what we are trying to do, arrive at that intersection with a perfect balance between winning and consistency. I know it's going to provide better competition."
• "We're in a very strong position we are still the No. 2 sport on television. Promoters continue to enjoy great ticket sales throughout the year, and I know 2007 with all of the things that are going on that are to make for an exciting season: The entry of Toyota, the Car of Tomorrow; which you've heard so much about today; racing in Montreal, we're going to get a chance to satisfy our fan base in Canada; welcoming Sirius satellite radio into the family; and welcoming an old friend back in ESPN who helped broadcast the early races with NASCAR when they were just getting started in the '80s."
• "We are excited about the changes and we are excited about where we are at, and we know the Daytona 500 is just around the corner. So with that, thank you very much."
With that much excitement, how can NASCAR not continue to grow its purported 75 million strong fan base?
By manufacturing excitement.
NASCAR should take a page from the NHL's playbook, frame it and put it above the desk of every decision-maker within its hallowed halls. That page should be the one that features the gimmicks that hockey has implemented to alienate its grass roots fans.
Adding more points for victories is a step in the right direction -- but rewarding the race winner a second time (in some cases maybe months later) by "seeding" the Chase drivers by awarding 10 additional points for each regular season victory ... that smacks of P.T. Barnum 101.
Another tweak should have been awarding the lap-leader bonus to only those drivers who run on point under green, and rewarding the pole winner shouldn't be overlooked, either. In the end, from the time teams unload until the checkered flag falls, all on-track competition should be rewarded -- qualifying and racing (and since there is no "racing" under caution, the lap-led bonus for leading under yellow should be eliminated). The 10 bonus points for victories that will go to Chase drivers' regular season victories should be split among a) the pole sitter and b) the race winner.
NASCAR cannot create excitement; the on-track competition should be exciting enough to carry the sport. The fans know the Chase is contrived; don't insult them with false hubbub. NASCAR is at a fork in the road: expanding its fan base or (further) alienating the grass roots fans. Either way the sport isn't going anywhere; it's weathered more than 50 years of change. It will survive.
That said, 2007 cannot be about manufactured excitement. ABC/ESPN, the COT, Montoya and Toyota will take the sport only so far. It must come down to the racing, not only during the Chase but also throughout the first 26 races of the season.
If not, NASCAR will face the damned naysayers.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
Budweiser Shootout practice Friday, Feb. 9 4 p.m. Speed Channel
Budweiser Shootout practice Friday, Feb. 9 6:30 p.m. Speed Channel
Nextel Cup practice Saturday, Feb. 10 10:30 a.m. Speed Channel
Nextel Cup practice Saturday, Feb. 10 1:30 p.m. Speed Channel
Budweiser Shootout Saturday, Feb. 10 8 p.m. FOX
Daytona 500 qualfying Sunday, Feb. 11 2 p.m. FOX
All time Eastern. Times and station subject to change.
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Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,
Your![cid:834212520@08022007-0F6D]()
Momma
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
This list is authored by:
Sandra Monacelli
221 W. 57th Street 18B
Loveland, CO 80538
970/663-6967
Top Ten Driver Excuses For Not Winning a Pole In '06
by Kim DeHaven and Amy Henderson Frontstretch
10. Mark Martin: "I didn't HAVE to win one, I get in the Shootout forever-which is handy, `cause that's how long I'm gonna race!"
9. Robby Gordon: "Pole? I thought they said HOLE! I went off-road racing so much I thought I should avoid that…"
8. Clint Bowyer: "They gave all the fast cars to Burton and Harvick."
7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: "Yeah, yeah. It was-wait, I can't blame the crew chief anymore…uh…at least I am popular!"
6. Sterling Marlin: Poles? I'm lucky I made all the races!
5. Ward Burton: "I always have the pole. It is in the bed of my truck beside the tackle box and bait."
4. Martin Truex Jr.: "Like, What was the question? Sorry, I had to go to the bathroom…"
3. David Gilliland: "No really people, I DID win a pole in '06. Seriously!"
2. Matt Kenseth: "At least I run up front when it COUNTS!"
1. Tony Stewart: "I would have won the pole for the Pepsi 400 but Boris beat me by a hair."
by Kim DeHaven and Amy Henderson Frontstretch
10. Mark Martin: "I didn't HAVE to win one, I get in the Shootout forever-which is handy, `cause that's how long I'm gonna race!"
9. Robby Gordon: "Pole? I thought they said HOLE! I went off-road racing so much I thought I should avoid that…"
8. Clint Bowyer: "They gave all the fast cars to Burton and Harvick."
7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: "Yeah, yeah. It was-wait, I can't blame the crew chief anymore…uh…at least I am popular!"
6. Sterling Marlin: Poles? I'm lucky I made all the races!
5. Ward Burton: "I always have the pole. It is in the bed of my truck beside the tackle box and bait."
4. Martin Truex Jr.: "Like, What was the question? Sorry, I had to go to the bathroom…"
3. David Gilliland: "No really people, I DID win a pole in '06. Seriously!"
2. Matt Kenseth: "At least I run up front when it COUNTS!"
1. Tony Stewart: "I would have won the pole for the Pepsi 400 but Boris beat me by a hair."
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Quote of the Year"I love what I do; I love this business."
-- Bobby Hamilton Sr, March 2006 as he announced he had cancer
"While our drivers are probably not nearly in the physical condition of the NBA's All-Stars, the Daytona 500 is going to have 43 of the top drivers in the country, trained to drive at speeds in excess of 180 mph. Now that's intense! The NBA only has like 20 or 25 basketball players playing."
--Benny Parsons
Quote of the Day
"Am I aiming to win? I'm more aiming to getting the car to the end of the race, to be realistic."
Juan Montoya, on the Daytona 500
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Bits and PiecesTNT to go without ads during Daytona
TNT will incorporate advertising into its broadcast of the July Nextel Cup race at Daytona in place of commercial breaks, a network official said Wednesday.
This would be the first time a network broadcasting a Cup race has limited or eliminated commercial breaks by showing the advertising on-screen during the race.
Turner Sports executive producer Jeff Behnke said the plan "is going to happen."
"We have a lot of pride in being innovative and exploratory with ways to do our broadcast," Behnke said. "The fans and viewers at home that see our broadcast in July will be very surprised with our product."
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It will be a girl for Jeff Gordon, wife Vandebosch in JulyJeff Gordon and his supermodel wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, will be welcoming a baby girl in July.
They recently learned the gender of their baby.
"I'm trying to tell everyone, 'Not just pink!"' Vandebosch says in the upcoming issue of Us Weekly.
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Front Row Motorsports buying #37 R&J Racing? UPDATE 2: hearing that Front Row Motorsports, who has three teams, the #34 with Kevin Lepage [which plans to run at least the first five races of the 2007 season], and the #61 and #92 teams that have no schedules or drivers yet for 2007, have bought out or into the #37 RJ Racing Dodge team. The #37 team plan to run Bill Elliott at Daytona in the Budweiser Shootout and Daytona 500, but after that plans have not been announced. Elliott did test the #37 Dodge at Las Vegas, which was listed as the #37 Front Row Motorsports Dodge.(2-4-2007)UPDATE: hearing that #37 team over John Carter will still own the #37 team, with RJ Racing partnering up with Front Row Motorsports in 2007.(2-4-2007) UPDATE 2: Front Row Motorsports (FRM) announced today they will run two (2) cars during the 2007 Nextel Cup season. FRM will run the #34 driven by Kevin Lepage with Randy Seals as the crew chief. For the second FRM entry, team owner Bob Jenkins has formed a partnership with John Carter. The team will convert the #61 from 2006 to the #37 for the 2007 season. The team has hired Bill Elliott to run a limited number of events, with Chad Chaffin slated to compete in the remainder of the schedule. Mark Tutor will serve has crew chief for the team. NASCAR veteran Gere Kennon will be Director of Competition and oversee the efforts of both teams. Both teams will run Dodge Chargers powered by motors built by Ernie Elliott Inc.(FRM PR)
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McClure to attempt Daytona 500: Eric McClure hopes to be the "Cinderella Story" of the Daytona 500 as he makes his second attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500. McClure's first attempt dates back to February 2005 with Raabe Racing. Hefty Brand is making its second appearance as primary sponsor of the #04 Chevy during this year's running of the Daytona 500, which is referred to by many as the Super Bowl of Auto Racing. Hefty Brand first adorned the hood of the No. 04 Chevrolet during the UAW- Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2006. The #04 will be fielded by Morgan McClure Motorsports (MMM), located in Abingdon, Virginia. Calling the shots for driver Eric McClure from atop the pit box is MMM veteran employee Robert Larkins. McClure will be attempting to qualify for his fourth career Nextel Cup Series event. McClure has a career best start of 27th (Talladega- October 2006) and a best finish of 26th (Talladega- April 2004). Morgan McClure Motorsports (MMM) and McClure participated in the first of two 3-day practice sessions at Daytona International Speedway earlier this month posting the 48th fastest time out of 64 cars with a time of 48.766 seconds.(Morgan McClure PR) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NASCAR Sports Grille to debut next week in Orlando: On Wednesday, February 14, 2007, there will be a Grand Opening of the NASCAR Sports Grille restaurant in the heart of Universal CityWalk in Orlando, FL. NASCAR Sports Grille is a celebration of cuisine, sports and all things NASCAR and features: a 37' media wall, boothside interactive plasma screens, state-of-the-art speed simulators and games, NASCAR retail, museum quality memorabilia, a 20' artistic adaptation of the Nextel Cup and an absolute dedication to quality food and service. The Cordish Company, a Baltimore, MD based real estate development and entertainment operating company is launching the NASCAR Sports Grille restaurants. Executives from The Cordish Company and NASCAR will be available for interviews and photos. Attending include NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France, #7 Ford driver Robby Gordon, rock group Collective Soul [a Jayski Fave] and David Cordish - Chairman, The Cordish Company.(PR) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trackside to air 200th show: When Steve Byrnes, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond take the SPEED Stage Friday [Feb 9th] at Daytona to "work hard and play hard," it will mark the 200th episode of the popular SPEED Friday night show Trackside Live. Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin will be Trackside guests for show No. 200 on Feb. 9 at 8pm/et; 2006 Nextel Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson and Elliott Sadler will be guests on the Feb. 16 show at 6:30pm/et. Sadler will join the Trackside team every week during the second half of the season. This year, the SPEED Stage gets several major additions, including a 50-foot lighted SPEED Fan Tower to help fans find the stage on-site at every Nextel Cup Series race of the season.(SpeedTV.com) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Without Pension, NASCAR Stars Forgotten: The living room of Sam Ard's brown doublewide trailer speaks to his short but successful NASCAR career. Trophies surround the fireplace and crowd its mantel. Plaques and pictures dot the living room walls. What's not there speaks to Ard's life after NASCAR, the two championship rings and a handful of grandfather clocks from Martinsville Speedway that he sold because "we was running short on cash." Unlike veterans of other sports, Ard has no pension to fall back on. As the booming stock-car series built by men such as Sam Ard heads to Daytona International Speedway this week to kick off its 59th season, NASCAR remains the only major-league sport without a pension plan. "You can drive for NASCAR, but when it's over, it's over. You get nothing," Ard said. "When you fall out of racing or something happens to you, it seems like NASCAR just forgets about you. It's your friends and the people around the race track who have to remember you and keep you going."Other leagues have pensions. Today's 10-year veterans in baseball will receive a six-figure annual payout beginning at age 62. Even middle-of-the-road professional golfers can pile up millions under the PGA Tour's deferred-compensation plan, which puts money away for players based on performance. An NFL player with six seasons between 1998 and 2003 will get about $2,500 a month beginning at age 55, and the NBA has a similar plan. The NHL contributes about $45,000 per year to retirement accounts for veterans. The ATP and WTA tours make annual contributions averaging between $7,500 and $9,500 to retirement accounts for each tennis player. NASCAR's policy always has been that its drivers are "independent contractors" who bear full responsibility for their finances, health care, retirement and life insurance. Few in NASCAR are arguing for a fund to help today's drivers, who make millions from team contracts and even more from race purses and merchandise sales. Jeff Gordon, the sport's all-time money leader, has won a record $82,366,716 through 14 full seasons and isn't sure what the responsibility should be.
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Marlin's son plans to run some ARCA races: Steadman Marlin plans to run several races this season in the ARCA Series, driving for Wayne Day out of Goodlettsville, TN. Steadman, son of two-time Daytona 500 winner Sterling Marlin, will attempt to qualify for the Feb. 10 ARCA opener at Daytona. Other races include the two ARCA stops at Nashville Superspeedway and races at Talladega and Michigan. If his ARCA schedule permits, he also plans to run a full schedule at Music City Motorplex [Nashville, TN], where his father and grandfather combined for seven track championships.(Tennessean) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Home Depot to Launch 2007 NASCAR Ad campaign: The Home Depot will debut a new NASCAR-themed television ad during the broadcast of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18 that features two-time Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. The spot accentuates The Home Depot's brand promise of "know-how" by introducing the Tony Stewart Institute where Stewart, driver of the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing, brings his on-track success and "know-how" to home improvement. During the 30-second spot, titled "Drills," Stewart accidentally bumps into the corner of his desk and a screw falls loose. Addressing the freshman class of 2007, Stewart asks if anyone has a cordless drill. The class responds by raising their hand, each holding a cordless drill while still taking notes. Stewart looks up, and upon seeing the eager students proclaims, "This should be a good year." The ads emphasize that the secret to success is "know-how," whether the individual is an associate at the Tony Stewart Institute or a racing superstar. The commercials will air throughout FOX's coverage of the Daytona 500 and during subsequent NASCAR races on the major television networks covering the 2007 Nextel Cup season. The Richards Group, based in Dallas, developed the commercials.(JGR/True Speed Commications PR)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congress honors memory of former NASCAR champion Benny Parsons
N.C. congressman Robin Hayes announced that the House passed legislation to honor NASCAR legend Benny Parsons.
Hayes introduced the legislation Jan. 17 and spoke on the House Floor to honor Parsons for his excellence in racing and his great character.
Parsons was born in Wilkes County on July 12, 1941. He won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, and was the first NASCAR driver to qualify at more than 200 mph. Parsons died Jan. 16 from complications from lung cancer.
N.C. congressman Robin Hayes announced that the House passed legislation to honor NASCAR legend Benny Parsons.
Hayes introduced the legislation Jan. 17 and spoke on the House Floor to honor Parsons for his excellence in racing and his great character.
Parsons was born in Wilkes County on July 12, 1941. He won 21 races, including the 1975 Daytona 500, and was the first NASCAR driver to qualify at more than 200 mph. Parsons died Jan. 16 from complications from lung cancer.
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New Hutchens Hybrid device passes safety testing for NASCAR use DAVID POOLE/The Charlotte Observer
A new Hutchens Hybrid head and neck restraint device has passed safety testing and is now available for NASCAR touring series drivers to use in private tests. Safety Solutions and LFT Technologies will work with teams and develop inventory until July 13, when the device will be allowed for use in competition. The Hybrid will join the HANS device as the only head and neck restraint systems allowed by NASCAR.
The quixotic bid by 72-year-old driver James Hylton to make this year's Daytona 500 field will be backed by Retirement Living TV, a Maryland-based network aimed at viewers 55 and up. "James spirit is everything that Retirement Television stands for," said Ed Beimfohr, vice president of marketing for Retirement Living TV. "We believe that you are never too old to go out and accomplish goals. ...Achievement is ageless."
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Martin auctioning package to help Fla. tornado victims NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Mark Martin and his Ginn Racing team are holding an auction to raise money for Central Florida residents who were affected by last week's tornadoes.
Martin and the team will be auctioning the "Ultimate Mark Martin/Daytona 500 Dream Package," which includes the hood Martin's No. 01 Chevrolet, two VIP suite tickets to Daytona Speedweeks, a day as honorary crew chief at the Daytona 500 and laps around Daytona International Speedway with Martin behind the wheel of a race car.
Fans may bid on the package on eBay until Monday. All proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross Central Florida relief programs.
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Newman, Biffle, Schrader help promote Spay Day USA NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and Ken Schrader will help promote Spay Day USA to raise awareness of the need for spaying or neutering dog and cats in the U.S.
The Humane Society of the United States' national campaign promotes spaying or neutering as an effective way to end the need for the euthanasia of homeless pets.
"Across the nation, county animal shelters have to put dogs and cats to death because there aren't enough homes for all of the puppies and kittens being born each year," Newman said. "The only statistically proven way to stop the animal overpopulation epidemic is by spaying and neutering pets. We have to prevent unwanted breeding to save lives."
This year marks the 13th annual Spay Day USA.
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CertainTeed to sponsor Nemechek in #13 for 18 races: Ginn Racing announced that CertainTeed Corporation, North America's leading manufacturer of interior and exterior building products, will carry an 18-race primary sponsorship on Joe Nemechek's #13 Chevy during the 2007 Nextel Cup season. At the other 18 of 36 point races, Certain Teed will have a major associate sponsorship on Nemechek's car. The first race of the CertainTeed primary sponsorship will be the season-opening Daytona 500. Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., CertainTeed and its affiliates have approximately 9,000 employees and 70 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. More info on CertainTeed at certainteed.com. (Ginn Racing PR)
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Earnhardt Jr. wants majority ownership of DEI DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that ownership in Dale Earnhardt Inc. is still the prevailing issue in his contract negotiations with the company his father founded.
Speaking at NASCAR Media Day on Thursday, Earnhardt Jr. said that he wanted majority ownership in the team owned and operated by his stepmother, Teresa. Asked if he wanted more than 50 percent ownership, Earnhardt Jr. said, "Absolutely."
The son of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt is in contract negotiations with DEI since his current contract ends this year.
"The main factor is the ownership part," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It has nothing to do with money and nothing else, really. I really like my team. ... Everything is on the upswing. But my father has been gone for five, six years now, and I want majority ownership."
Earnhardt Jr. met new DEI President Max Siegel for lunch Wednesday, but he said that was more of a get-acquainted session.
"That was the first time me and him sat around and talked," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Yesterday was just lunch. He told me where he came from, what his upbringing was like, basically his whole history and what he was about and why he took the job."
The driver said he gave Siegel, a former gospel music executive, suggestions of where he thought the company should be, and they talked about ideas.
"We didn't really talk about the contract," Earnhardt Jr. said. "This guy is pretty impressive when you sit down with him and talk to him a little bit. He brings a lot of integrity and credibility wherever he is at.
"I'm excited he's at DEI. I don't think [the personalities] will affect my decision. He is a great guy to talk to and a great guy to work with. He is going to speed things up. He's going to improve the negotiations."
Earnhardt Jr. said he didn't regret some of the things he said last month about Teresa and their relationship, which he said "ain't a bed of roses." He reiterated that he wasn't happy with her comments that he needed to decide between being a public personality and a race car driver.
But Earnhardt Jr. also took exception with the notion that DEI needs him more than he needs DEI.
"I don't believe that is true - DEI provides me with a lot to be successful," he said. "They're a huge credit to everything I've ever done. ... [thanks to] the people I have had to work with, the caliber of teams I have had in the past."
That opinion isn't shared by everyone.
"He's really probably the only one that's got the bargaining power," said driver Kevin Harvick. "He's got it all on his side, and I think it's deservedly right that he does have it on his side. He's the most popular driver.
"He's been successful, and he deserves the respect of being a grown man and not being treated like he's 15 and somebody's stepson."
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NASCAR: Splitter won't need to be replaced if damaged DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Teams will not need to replace the front splitter if it is broken off during a "car of tomorrow" race, NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said Thursday.
Darby said he expect teams will want to have a front splitter - a shelf that sits underneath the front valence to adjust front downforce - on the car, but it won't be a requirement.
So just as in the past, a car with a sawed off front end following a crash could be on the track.
"[The front splitter] won't be mandatory," Darby said. "But remember, it is a huge tuning tool. They're going to do everything they can do to make sure that they have a front splitter."
Teams will have to replace the rear wing in the event it is damaged, just as they have to replace the rear spoiler on a current car.
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Suspended crewman returning for Shootout
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Valvoline Evernham Racing crewman Craig Curione is expected to return for the Budweiser Shootout this weekend.
Curione was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR following an altercation where he reportedly pushed Kevin Harvick after the Nov. 5, 2006, race at Texas Motor Speedway. Harvick and Evernham driver Scott Riggs had gotten into an accident on the track late in the event.
NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton said Thursday that he expected Curione to be reinstated.
Curione was not allowed at the final two races of last season and was not allowed to attend the NASCAR test sessions in January, and Pemberton indicated that he was satisfied with the length of the suspension.
"We'll see what happens when we reinstate him," Pemberton said. "He is expected to be reinstated."
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Valvoline Evernham Racing crewman Craig Curione is expected to return for the Budweiser Shootout this weekend.
Curione was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR following an altercation where he reportedly pushed Kevin Harvick after the Nov. 5, 2006, race at Texas Motor Speedway. Harvick and Evernham driver Scott Riggs had gotten into an accident on the track late in the event.
NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton said Thursday that he expected Curione to be reinstated.
Curione was not allowed at the final two races of last season and was not allowed to attend the NASCAR test sessions in January, and Pemberton indicated that he was satisfied with the length of the suspension.
"We'll see what happens when we reinstate him," Pemberton said. "He is expected to be reinstated."
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Family unity key for DEI survival
Lee Spencer / FOXSports.com
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A big meeting — or just a meeting of the minds?
Whatever the case, Wednesday's tete a tete between siblings Kelley Elledge and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the Dale Earnhardt Inc. brass has to be seen as a step forward where the future of NASCAR's most popular driver is concerned.
Though an announcement isn't likely until after the Daytona 500, at least the lines of communication between the Earnhardt children and Max Siegel, DEI's newly appointed president of global operations, are open.
Whether or not Junior re-signs with DEI, one thing is certain: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the entire No. 8 Budweiser team will support their driver's decision.
"I'm standing by my man," said Eury said with a laugh. "I told him, 'Let me know what you want to do.' Whatever he decides, I'll take care of him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble (on the track).
"I've told Junior from the beginning, 'You have a big load on your shoulders. Your daddy wanted to see his kids run this place (DEI). You have to do what's best for Dale Jr., but if you leave this place, it will close down in two years.' "
Maybe that analogy sounds harsh, but there's only one Dale Earnhart Jr. He's the only driver on the circuit that can bridge the old fans with the new.
"There's a lot of people who stay at DEI just because of Dale Jr.," Eury added. "They're fans of Dale Jr.'s. Maybe they won't go under, but they'll be more like an MB2 (Ginn Racing). The legacy won't die, but it won't be the same without Dale Jr."
There's an undeniable value in having an Earnhardt behind the wheel at DEI. It's not by accident that the company recently signed both Kerry Earnhardt (Junior's half-brother) and Kerry's son Jeffrey, 17. Kerry will take on a management role, while Jeffrey will graduate to the Busch East Series this year with aspirations of NBS in 2008.
Eury says NASCAR Busch champions Sam Ard and Jack Ingram are perfect examples of how time changes the perception of drivers.
"People loved Sam Ard, but how many people today know who Sam Ard is?" Eury asked. "People loved Jack Ingram, but how many people remember him today?
"You've got Tony Stewart fans, Jimmie Johnson fans, but these guys weren't even around in the early '90s. Then there's Dale Jr. He loves the Jimmy Means of this world, but (how many of the current racers) even know Jimmy Means is?"
Eury has Earnhardt and DEI's best interest at heart. After all, it is a family affair. The two cousins have been close since their fathers — Dale Earnhardt and Tony Eury — worked on cars together when they were children. Eury Sr. was one of the first DEI employees, having led Dale Jr. to both of his Busch Series titles with Eury Jr. at his side.
And Eury applauds DEI for strengthening the operation by bringing Siegel and Kerry Earnhardt into the fold.
"I think (Teresa Earnhardt) is seeing that she needs help to do this," Eury said. "I think Max has helped her realize she needs more people to get it done, and it's good to have another racing Earnhardt around. He has the same mentality as his daddy. He doesn't take any stuff from anyone, but he really listens to what people have to say."
Marketing and PR wiz John Story, who began working at DEI last Monday after a stint with Robby Gordon, agrees with Eury's views on Kerry Earnhardt.
"He knows the legacy," Story said. "He knows what the company was founded on, and he'll be a tremendous asset. Kerry has a unique set of skills. He's his father's son. He knows what the guys need and will work as a liaison between the competition and administrative sides."
What affect Kerry Earnhardt's appointment will have on Junior's decision remains to be seen. It was Dale Sr.'s vision to have all of his family under the DEI roof, but unfortunately, he's not around to implement that plan. It will be up to the people that Earnhardt left behind to make it happen.
Lee Spencer is a senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com.
Lee Spencer / FOXSports.com
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A big meeting — or just a meeting of the minds?
Whatever the case, Wednesday's tete a tete between siblings Kelley Elledge and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the Dale Earnhardt Inc. brass has to be seen as a step forward where the future of NASCAR's most popular driver is concerned.
Though an announcement isn't likely until after the Daytona 500, at least the lines of communication between the Earnhardt children and Max Siegel, DEI's newly appointed president of global operations, are open.
Whether or not Junior re-signs with DEI, one thing is certain: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the entire No. 8 Budweiser team will support their driver's decision.
"I'm standing by my man," said Eury said with a laugh. "I told him, 'Let me know what you want to do.' Whatever he decides, I'll take care of him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble (on the track).
"I've told Junior from the beginning, 'You have a big load on your shoulders. Your daddy wanted to see his kids run this place (DEI). You have to do what's best for Dale Jr., but if you leave this place, it will close down in two years.' "
Maybe that analogy sounds harsh, but there's only one Dale Earnhart Jr. He's the only driver on the circuit that can bridge the old fans with the new.
"There's a lot of people who stay at DEI just because of Dale Jr.," Eury added. "They're fans of Dale Jr.'s. Maybe they won't go under, but they'll be more like an MB2 (Ginn Racing). The legacy won't die, but it won't be the same without Dale Jr."
There's an undeniable value in having an Earnhardt behind the wheel at DEI. It's not by accident that the company recently signed both Kerry Earnhardt (Junior's half-brother) and Kerry's son Jeffrey, 17. Kerry will take on a management role, while Jeffrey will graduate to the Busch East Series this year with aspirations of NBS in 2008.
Eury says NASCAR Busch champions Sam Ard and Jack Ingram are perfect examples of how time changes the perception of drivers.
"People loved Sam Ard, but how many people today know who Sam Ard is?" Eury asked. "People loved Jack Ingram, but how many people remember him today?
"You've got Tony Stewart fans, Jimmie Johnson fans, but these guys weren't even around in the early '90s. Then there's Dale Jr. He loves the Jimmy Means of this world, but (how many of the current racers) even know Jimmy Means is?"
Eury has Earnhardt and DEI's best interest at heart. After all, it is a family affair. The two cousins have been close since their fathers — Dale Earnhardt and Tony Eury — worked on cars together when they were children. Eury Sr. was one of the first DEI employees, having led Dale Jr. to both of his Busch Series titles with Eury Jr. at his side.
And Eury applauds DEI for strengthening the operation by bringing Siegel and Kerry Earnhardt into the fold.
"I think (Teresa Earnhardt) is seeing that she needs help to do this," Eury said. "I think Max has helped her realize she needs more people to get it done, and it's good to have another racing Earnhardt around. He has the same mentality as his daddy. He doesn't take any stuff from anyone, but he really listens to what people have to say."
Marketing and PR wiz John Story, who began working at DEI last Monday after a stint with Robby Gordon, agrees with Eury's views on Kerry Earnhardt.
"He knows the legacy," Story said. "He knows what the company was founded on, and he'll be a tremendous asset. Kerry has a unique set of skills. He's his father's son. He knows what the guys need and will work as a liaison between the competition and administrative sides."
What affect Kerry Earnhardt's appointment will have on Junior's decision remains to be seen. It was Dale Sr.'s vision to have all of his family under the DEI roof, but unfortunately, he's not around to implement that plan. It will be up to the people that Earnhardt left behind to make it happen.
Lee Spencer is a senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com.
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Elliott throws the book at NASCAR on safety
By Pete Pistone/Special to CBS SportsLine.com
Increasing safety is one of NASCAR's main initiatives for its "Car of Tomorrow," the next generation NEXTEL Cup machine that debuts this year.
And for Bill Elliott, it couldn't come a moment too soon.
Elliott is about as non-controversial a driver as they come.
But the semi-retired former NASCAR star sure came out swinging in his new book, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville: My Life in NASCAR.
Elliott takes aim at what he perceives to be a lack of attention to safety by NASCAR, particularly the at-track initiatives.
"Fans would be shocked to know how poor basic first aid is at many NASCAR tracks," Elliott says in the memoir.
"I think NASCAR and the France family are sticking their heads in the sand," Elliott wrote. "The IRL and CART have their own dedicated medical/rescue group that travels with the circuit ... NASCAR leaves on-site medical care up to the individual racetracks. As a result you end up with a well-intentioned hodgepodge of local paramedics who have little knowledge of the specific safety and health issues that arise from 200-mph crashes and little personal knowledge of the drivers and their records."
Elliott, who will attempt to qualify for next week's 49th Daytona 500, has nearly 25 years of experience in NASCAR's top division and has seen what he perceives to be the lack of safety standards up close and personal.
"I've been in so-called safety meetings where all it is is a Joe Blow local EMT who works that particular race because he gets a (garage) hot pass," Elliott writes. "This is a true story: I had a guy after a wreck one time, a paramedic, who was riding with me in the ambulance. On the way to the hospital he actually asked me to autograph my oxygen mask for him."
As Elliott brings to light, Champ Car, the Indy Racing League and the NHRA employ a traveling safety crew. NASCAR relies on tracks to provide local medical personnel, a policy the sanctioning body's vice president of communication Jim Hunter defends.
"NASCAR has been widely recognized for the sweeping safety changes it has made over the years and continues to make today," Hunter said. "Safety is a never-ending process to which NASCAR is completely dedicated.
"However, local expertise continues to be important because local doctors are fully licensed for each particular community and know the full network of doctors and specialists in the area."
Elliott points out in the book that after being involved in a serious crash at Talladega in 1996, he and his wife Cindy presented NASCAR with a recommendation for a mobile trauma unit to attend each event.
"(But) NASCAR turned it down," Elliott says. "They rejected both the doctor and the mobile trauma unit. We still don't know why. I think they felt that with such a unit there was still too much residual liability to NASCAR. That scares them."
Elliott says that only after the deaths of Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Dale Earnhardt did NASCAR sit up and take notice of safety issues, employing "black boxes" in cars to record data and implementing other devices to enhance safety.
"Black boxes only went into Cup cars in the last few years," Elliott said. "If Dale had survived, it's likely other drivers probably would have been killed and no one would have cared. We all hate to see anyone injured or killed in a wreck, on track or off."
Hunter's response is that NASCAR is "completely dedicated" to safety, including the development of soft-walls, the HANS device and the creation of the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Charlotte.
And while those are certainly steps in the right direction, the issue of making race cars safer should be a never-ending process. The "Car of Tomorrow" features several initiatives that would seem to protect the driver better than ever.
In addition to a reinforced "cocoon," the driver's seat has been moved toward the middle of the car and away from the door, helping better protect from violent driver's side impact.
But after witnessing the first-response medical teams of Champ Car rescue and save the lives of Alex Zanardi in his violent crash in Germany a few years ago and Cristiano da Matta after his practice accident at Road America last fall, having a dedicated traveling medical unit is a must.
Champ Car and the IRL don't do much right, but in this case they're spot on.
And NASCAR should, for once, follow open wheel racing's lead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By Pete Pistone/Special to CBS SportsLine.com
Increasing safety is one of NASCAR's main initiatives for its "Car of Tomorrow," the next generation NEXTEL Cup machine that debuts this year.
And for Bill Elliott, it couldn't come a moment too soon.
Elliott is about as non-controversial a driver as they come.
But the semi-retired former NASCAR star sure came out swinging in his new book, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville: My Life in NASCAR.
Elliott takes aim at what he perceives to be a lack of attention to safety by NASCAR, particularly the at-track initiatives.
"Fans would be shocked to know how poor basic first aid is at many NASCAR tracks," Elliott says in the memoir.
"I think NASCAR and the France family are sticking their heads in the sand," Elliott wrote. "The IRL and CART have their own dedicated medical/rescue group that travels with the circuit ... NASCAR leaves on-site medical care up to the individual racetracks. As a result you end up with a well-intentioned hodgepodge of local paramedics who have little knowledge of the specific safety and health issues that arise from 200-mph crashes and little personal knowledge of the drivers and their records."
Elliott, who will attempt to qualify for next week's 49th Daytona 500, has nearly 25 years of experience in NASCAR's top division and has seen what he perceives to be the lack of safety standards up close and personal.
"I've been in so-called safety meetings where all it is is a Joe Blow local EMT who works that particular race because he gets a (garage) hot pass," Elliott writes. "This is a true story: I had a guy after a wreck one time, a paramedic, who was riding with me in the ambulance. On the way to the hospital he actually asked me to autograph my oxygen mask for him."
As Elliott brings to light, Champ Car, the Indy Racing League and the NHRA employ a traveling safety crew. NASCAR relies on tracks to provide local medical personnel, a policy the sanctioning body's vice president of communication Jim Hunter defends.
"NASCAR has been widely recognized for the sweeping safety changes it has made over the years and continues to make today," Hunter said. "Safety is a never-ending process to which NASCAR is completely dedicated.
"However, local expertise continues to be important because local doctors are fully licensed for each particular community and know the full network of doctors and specialists in the area."
Elliott points out in the book that after being involved in a serious crash at Talladega in 1996, he and his wife Cindy presented NASCAR with a recommendation for a mobile trauma unit to attend each event.
"(But) NASCAR turned it down," Elliott says. "They rejected both the doctor and the mobile trauma unit. We still don't know why. I think they felt that with such a unit there was still too much residual liability to NASCAR. That scares them."
Elliott says that only after the deaths of Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Dale Earnhardt did NASCAR sit up and take notice of safety issues, employing "black boxes" in cars to record data and implementing other devices to enhance safety.
"Black boxes only went into Cup cars in the last few years," Elliott said. "If Dale had survived, it's likely other drivers probably would have been killed and no one would have cared. We all hate to see anyone injured or killed in a wreck, on track or off."
Hunter's response is that NASCAR is "completely dedicated" to safety, including the development of soft-walls, the HANS device and the creation of the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Charlotte.
And while those are certainly steps in the right direction, the issue of making race cars safer should be a never-ending process. The "Car of Tomorrow" features several initiatives that would seem to protect the driver better than ever.
In addition to a reinforced "cocoon," the driver's seat has been moved toward the middle of the car and away from the door, helping better protect from violent driver's side impact.
But after witnessing the first-response medical teams of Champ Car rescue and save the lives of Alex Zanardi in his violent crash in Germany a few years ago and Cristiano da Matta after his practice accident at Road America last fall, having a dedicated traveling medical unit is a must.
Champ Car and the IRL don't do much right, but in this case they're spot on.
And NASCAR should, for once, follow open wheel racing's lead.
Montoya embracing role as the 'new guy'
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
It's all Jeff Gordon's fault. If it wasn't for Jeff's fascination with those itty bitty Formula One cars at Indianapolis a few years back, Juan Montoya never would have gotten a chance to get in a stock car, and we might not be up to our necks in Montoya Mania right now.
"When I drove Jeff's car, I was really comfortable in it," Montoya said. "I was talking to Chip [Ganassi] about it and it really motivated me to do the deal.
"I got in it and within three laps on a road course, I was up to speed. I thought it felt good."
So there we were last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, smooshed like a Twinkie in a little kid's fist, waiting for this famous former open-wheel driver to enter the media room.
We correctly assumed he'd respond condescendingly to admittedly stupid questions, complain about the whole testing process and generally act as if he would rather be somewhere else, like having a nap after competing in an endurance race on the other side of the continent the day before.
But after Tony Stewart left, in came Smilin' Johnny Montoya, the All-(South) American Boy.
The suavest spokesman for Dodge since Ricardo Montalban peddled Chrysler Cordobas and their "fine Corinthian leather," Montoya was positively charming, the opposite of the stereotypical international racer -- stunning for a guy who supposedly wore out his welcome in Formula One.
Proof that there truly is a Colombia school of broadcasting, Montoya deftly fielded all media questions -- answering some in English, others in Spanish, translating answers from English to Spanish and then Spanish to English.
About the only thing he didn't do was translate for Ward Burton, which in all probably would have been like that I Love Lucy episode where Desi Arnaz meets Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Ward: "You know, I drive a Monte Carlo."
Juan: "Well, I won a race in Monte Carlo once."
It certainly doesn't help matters that Montoya went out and won the first time he ever ran at Daytona. On the other hand, so did Kyle Petty.
Plus, it's not like a foreign-born driver hasn't won the Daytona 500. Some Italian guy named Mario Andretti did it in 1967, and look what happened to his NASCAR career. He never won another race, and by 1969, he just disappeared.
All joking aside, the pressure -- and the unrealistic hype -- continues to escalate. For some, it's not just if Montoya will win the Daytona 500, but how many times he'll lap the field.
Thankfully, Montoya seems to be one of the few people who understand the reality of what he's getting himself into.
"Am I aiming to win? I'm more aiming to getting the car to the end of the race, to be realistic," Montoya said. "Do we have a shot at it? Am I going to try to win it? Yeah, but I'll be really happy with a top-20, top-15 out of that race."
One good thing could come out of this: a rivalry.
Kurt Busch, who wishes NASCAR fans would point their middle fingers at someone else for a change, had the perfect chance to stoke the fires when he was asked his opinion of Montoya.
He could have said Montoya doesn't like vegetables. Or doesn't change his oil at the recommended intervals. Or prefers cats over dogs.
Instead, Busch took a mighty swing ... and whiffed.
"I'm impressed with Juan. I met him at the Detroit Auto Show when Dodge had us up there together unveiling some new cars," Busch said. "He's very grounded, approachable and humoristic as well."
So here we are, unhumoristically contemplating the unlikely scenario that allows the No. 42 to cross the finish line first in the Daytona 500.
Darrell Waltrip then begins yelling "Bogota, Bogota, Bogota!" followed by gunfire in the streets of Medellin. And if Montoya doesn't win? Same old, same old.
On the other hand, this whole foreign exchange program could work out very nicely.
This year, we take Juan Montoya. Next year, perhaps we send them Jeff Gordon, since he already has some seat time in their cars -- and he already knows how to say DuPont and Chevrolet in French.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
It's all Jeff Gordon's fault. If it wasn't for Jeff's fascination with those itty bitty Formula One cars at Indianapolis a few years back, Juan Montoya never would have gotten a chance to get in a stock car, and we might not be up to our necks in Montoya Mania right now.
"When I drove Jeff's car, I was really comfortable in it," Montoya said. "I was talking to Chip [Ganassi] about it and it really motivated me to do the deal.
"I got in it and within three laps on a road course, I was up to speed. I thought it felt good."
So there we were last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, smooshed like a Twinkie in a little kid's fist, waiting for this famous former open-wheel driver to enter the media room.
We correctly assumed he'd respond condescendingly to admittedly stupid questions, complain about the whole testing process and generally act as if he would rather be somewhere else, like having a nap after competing in an endurance race on the other side of the continent the day before.
But after Tony Stewart left, in came Smilin' Johnny Montoya, the All-(South) American Boy.
The suavest spokesman for Dodge since Ricardo Montalban peddled Chrysler Cordobas and their "fine Corinthian leather," Montoya was positively charming, the opposite of the stereotypical international racer -- stunning for a guy who supposedly wore out his welcome in Formula One.
Proof that there truly is a Colombia school of broadcasting, Montoya deftly fielded all media questions -- answering some in English, others in Spanish, translating answers from English to Spanish and then Spanish to English.
About the only thing he didn't do was translate for Ward Burton, which in all probably would have been like that I Love Lucy episode where Desi Arnaz meets Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Ward: "You know, I drive a Monte Carlo."
Juan: "Well, I won a race in Monte Carlo once."
It certainly doesn't help matters that Montoya went out and won the first time he ever ran at Daytona. On the other hand, so did Kyle Petty.
Plus, it's not like a foreign-born driver hasn't won the Daytona 500. Some Italian guy named Mario Andretti did it in 1967, and look what happened to his NASCAR career. He never won another race, and by 1969, he just disappeared.
All joking aside, the pressure -- and the unrealistic hype -- continues to escalate. For some, it's not just if Montoya will win the Daytona 500, but how many times he'll lap the field.
Thankfully, Montoya seems to be one of the few people who understand the reality of what he's getting himself into.
"Am I aiming to win? I'm more aiming to getting the car to the end of the race, to be realistic," Montoya said. "Do we have a shot at it? Am I going to try to win it? Yeah, but I'll be really happy with a top-20, top-15 out of that race."
One good thing could come out of this: a rivalry.
Kurt Busch, who wishes NASCAR fans would point their middle fingers at someone else for a change, had the perfect chance to stoke the fires when he was asked his opinion of Montoya.
He could have said Montoya doesn't like vegetables. Or doesn't change his oil at the recommended intervals. Or prefers cats over dogs.
Instead, Busch took a mighty swing ... and whiffed.
"I'm impressed with Juan. I met him at the Detroit Auto Show when Dodge had us up there together unveiling some new cars," Busch said. "He's very grounded, approachable and humoristic as well."
So here we are, unhumoristically contemplating the unlikely scenario that allows the No. 42 to cross the finish line first in the Daytona 500.
Darrell Waltrip then begins yelling "Bogota, Bogota, Bogota!" followed by gunfire in the streets of Medellin. And if Montoya doesn't win? Same old, same old.
On the other hand, this whole foreign exchange program could work out very nicely.
This year, we take Juan Montoya. Next year, perhaps we send them Jeff Gordon, since he already has some seat time in their cars -- and he already knows how to say DuPont and Chevrolet in French.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time to lose the Shootout
by Kenny Bruce / Scene Daily
If NASCAR really wants to cut the cost of racing – and we're always hearing how it does – then here's a novel idea: Get rid of the Budweiser Shootout.
The annual race for the previous year's pole winners – and previous winners of the Shootout – is taxing from both a financial and a personnel standpoint. At a time when teams are preparing for the biggest race of the year, the season-opening Daytona 500, a select group finds itself preparing an additional entry for the Shootout. Which means more costs for the team owners and more hours in the shop and at the track for the teams. Some may choose to run their backup car for the 500 in the Shootout, but what if that car's damaged during the race? And what if the primary car for the 500 gets bent out of shape during practice or qualifying? No, the safe thing to do is build another car to be used specifically for the Shootout. Spend more money. Work longer hours. For what? Points? Nope, not for this particular race.
Those teams that aren't qualified for the Shootout might not have the burden of the additional costs, but they lose out on the track time those teams in the race receive. Which includes nearly four hours of practice time, as well as the 70-lap race itself.
Speedweeks in Daytona is already chock full of racing – before the 500 ever gets under way, fans have had the opportunity to take in ARCA, truck and Busch series races, in addition to Cup qualifying. The loss of the Shootout wouldn't make a dent in the schedule.
The sport already has an all-star race, the Nextel Challenge. It doesn't need another race that means nothing in the grand scheme of the season.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If NASCAR really wants to cut the cost of racing – and we're always hearing how it does – then here's a novel idea: Get rid of the Budweiser Shootout.
The annual race for the previous year's pole winners – and previous winners of the Shootout – is taxing from both a financial and a personnel standpoint. At a time when teams are preparing for the biggest race of the year, the season-opening Daytona 500, a select group finds itself preparing an additional entry for the Shootout. Which means more costs for the team owners and more hours in the shop and at the track for the teams. Some may choose to run their backup car for the 500 in the Shootout, but what if that car's damaged during the race? And what if the primary car for the 500 gets bent out of shape during practice or qualifying? No, the safe thing to do is build another car to be used specifically for the Shootout. Spend more money. Work longer hours. For what? Points? Nope, not for this particular race.
Those teams that aren't qualified for the Shootout might not have the burden of the additional costs, but they lose out on the track time those teams in the race receive. Which includes nearly four hours of practice time, as well as the 70-lap race itself.
Speedweeks in Daytona is already chock full of racing – before the 500 ever gets under way, fans have had the opportunity to take in ARCA, truck and Busch series races, in addition to Cup qualifying. The loss of the Shootout wouldn't make a dent in the schedule.
The sport already has an all-star race, the Nextel Challenge. It doesn't need another race that means nothing in the grand scheme of the season.
By Rebecca Gladden / Insider Racing News
Towards the end of last season, I was standing in line at a race track shuttle stop with a group of people waiting to take the short tram ride to the infield.
It was an eclectic mix of folks standing in line that day. Mingled among energetic race fans, some of whom were making their first-ever trip to the garage area, was a number of war-weary media members, appearing burdened by the weight of their heavy cameras and laptops and by the sheer length of a competitive season that is the longest of any major sport.
Contrasting their fatigue was a particularly animated young man, mid-20s I'd say, standing directly behind me in line. He and a group of friends passed the time sharing tales of their encounters with the NASCAR drivers they'd been lucky enough to meet at various autograph sessions and fan events.
But this fellow had an unusual tale of a well-known driver he'd met in a different manner.
To hear him tell it, he was at work one day when a visitor quietly entered the business establishment and started walking casually about.
"He kind of looked familiar," the young man said. "I didn't see his face right away, so I wasn't sure who it was. He was dressed really casual in jeans and a hoodie and wearing a Budweiser cap. When he got a little closer, I could see that it was Junior!"
The race fans recollection caught the attention of several of us in line, so enthusiastic and impromptu was his delivery. He explained that his place of employment was associated with Dale Earnhardt Jr. through sponsorship.
"The funny thing was," he continued, "that no one else had noticed him yet. He didn't arrive with any fanfare and we didn't even know he was coming. He wasn't surrounded by an entourage. It was just Junior paying a visit to one of his sponsors. He was dressed so casually that to see him, you'd have no idea he was anyone special."
The fan said that as soon as he recognized the visitor, he grabbed a Sharpie and approached him for an autograph.
"He was really nice and just as down to earth as you could imagine. Of course once I asked for his autograph, other people noticed him and figured out that Junior was in the building and lined up to meet him."
Dale Jr. stayed and signed autographs for about 90 minutes, he recalled, chatting casually with employees.
"He was really cool," the young man said. "He didn't draw attention to himself or act like he was a big deal."
"He was just a regular guy."
This little eyewitness tale of a Junior encounter is nothing if not anecdotal. I imagine that some of you are already anxious to fire off an email telling me about the time you met Dale Junior and what a jerk he was.
Such is the nature of fame.
But Earnhardt Jr., who ranks among the world's most recognizable and highly paid sports figures, demonstrates an almost desperate need to show people that despite the fame and wealth -- despite the fact that he can afford to build a complete Western town, go-kart track, and golf course (the "Sausage Links") in his backyard -- he is still who he always has been - a small-town guy from Kannapolis, North Carolina, who believes in hard work and who tells anyone that will listen that he could happily go back to working on cars at his dad's auto dealership tomorrow.
But for now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is doing what he loves - driving race cars - with a unique blend of boyish enthusiasm and old school values. He often speaks of his respect for the sport's veterans and pioneers, even hosting a popular show on the SPEED Channel called, "Back in the Day" which features vintage NASCAR race highlights.
Heading into this week's season kick-off event, a non-points race known as the Bud Shootout, Earnhardt commented on last year's preseason controversy regarding slam-drafting in typical Junior fashion:
"I didn't understand why everyone was making such a big deal about it. I guess I understood their point and I wasn't saying that (bump-drafting) wasn't happening, but I always thought it was fun when you can beat and bang a little bit. I mean, this is the Shootout! It's a race! With a lot of cash! It takes about an hour-and-a-half to run, and the winner gets more than $200,000!"
"You shouldn't be able to earn that much money in that short of time and it be easy. Denny did it the hard way last year, and he deserved every bit of it. He had a great car, and he held off the best drivers in this series. We threw everything we had at him, and he threw it right back at us. That's how you win the Budweiser Shootout."
And that kind of straight talk is how you win the respect of your fans, Dale.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarrett contends he can contend as 50-year-oldFormer champ says equipment, not age, the difference
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
CONCORD, N.C. -- Dale Jarrett saw Darrell Waltrip riding in the back of the pack during his final years in Cup and said to himself: "That won't be me. I will know when to walk away."
Times have changed. Jarrett, now 50, says he understands why a driver hangs onto the sport long after his prime has passed, because he firmly believes:
• he physically can compete with 30-year-olds
• quality equipment overrides age
• his family will let him know when to quit
"You always wonder and wonder and look whether someone did stay around a little too long," Jarrett said. "I can see now where that becomes a difficult decision because as a race driver, I just don't see that there is any skills that I don't have that should hinder me from competing and winning."
Is it difficult to determine whether Jarrett is correct. Unlike Waltrip, Jarrett won as he approached his 50th birthday and unlike Waltrip, Jarrett had quality equipment.
Jarrett left Robert Yates Racing at the end of the 2006 season after years of decline, as evidenced by its lack of success at downforce tracks. Jarrett himself suffered his second mediocre season in four years in 2006, scoring just one top-five finish (and that was aided by fuel mileage).
The lack of results, Jarrett said, doesn't mean his ability has receded from the frontrunner he was 10 years ago, the man who won 18 races from 1996-99, culminating with the 1999 title.
His own family, Jarrett maintains, would tell him when to give up, get another job, or simply stay in Hickory, N.C., and play golf.
"The good thing that I have is a couple of people in my life that always been up front and open with me in that respect, and that is my dad and my wife," Jarrett said. "If they felt like or saw something that I didn't, they would be very willing to tell me that, and try to help me understand that my time is done."
Jarrett's outlook for 2007 is anyone's guess -- he starts the year with the fresh-faced, freshly backed Toyota team of Michael Waltrip -- but Jarrett says his age is not an issue.
"There is absolutely nothing that I can't do at 50 inside the racecar that keeps me from competing with these guys anywhere that we go," Jarrett said. "There is just nothing there. I keep myself in better physical condition than I was at 30 and 35, myself, and there is no reason that I can't.
"Not to lay it off, but none of us are any better than the equipment that we are given."
Jarrett was critical of RYR's lack of an engineering presence in recent years. He won't have that issue at Michael Waltrip Racing and if NASCAR is correct, Jarrett's ageless theory will be put to the test when the Car of Tomorrow is implemented.
NASCAR claims that the Car of Tomorrow will put more emphasis on the driver, and Jarrett says he is physically up to the task. He plans to keep driving until Nov. 2008, when he turns 52.
"Obviously this is a sport where you can be successful at a much later age than what other athletes can do," Jarrett said. "If you get the right equipment, you can continue to do this for awhile. Hopefully I can represent myself and everyone over 50 in a good way."
Jarrett still is trying to recover fully from a wreck in the closing laps at Sonoma this past summer. Jarrett received the worst end of the Talladega-style crash, which fractured his left hand.
NASCAR's week-to-week scheduling prevented the hand from properly healing, and Jarrett drove in pain for much of the second half. The hand might have healed quickly had Jarrett been able to rest it for a couple of weeks. Because of NASCAR's constant racing, he simply aggravated the injury every Sunday.
Even Jarrett's passion for playing golf on the weekdays with his father, Ned, had to be put on hold because he couldn't properly grip the club.
Jarrett elected to have offseason surgery, but he still couldn't play golf, even as North Carolina was blessed with constant 65-degree days in December.
"I still can't grip the golf club like I want to," Jarrett said. "I love to compete and that is one of the ways I get out and do that. It is just fun to me and it is a little bit of a release.
"We had the mildest winter in North Carolina in 190 years or something, and I was sitting at home and couldn't play golf but I caught up on a lot of things around the house and spent a lot of time with the kids."
Even after the surgery, the hand still throbbed during the first two days of preseason testing at Daytona. By the third day, Jarrett said, the pain went away.
"The doctor said it would be a two-month process in getting back to the golf course but I went back to driving a racecar," Jarrett said. "You're going to shock it a little there and it may take more time healing.
"I can drive the racecar, and it took a couple of days at Daytona at testing and it was pretty sore. By the third day, all of that was gone."
Jarrett knows that he will have to be pain-free this season, which he figures to be among the toughest of his 20-year career. MWR's three-car team enters the year without much guarantee of even qualifying for the field every week.
"The task here is huge. Starting a two-car team would have been large enough, jumping into three certainly made us have to look at things a lot differently," Jarrett said. "It couldn't have been a more difficult and tougher time in this sport to be bringing something like this."
It was speculated that Jarrett signed with Toyota for the paycheck -- some reports claimed he was receiving $10 million a year -- but Jarrett says that he could have walked straight into a lucrative television deal, as Darrell Waltrip did.
"I didn't take this job to log two more years," Jarrett said. "I could have gone and done some TV work. It is hard to see from the driver's seat [that] sometimes that you think your skills are still there, and they are."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cross' Words
Excitement in hand, NASCAR ready to rollBy Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM
Naysayers be damned: NASCAR, the sport, is going nowhere, fast -- as in it's here to stay despite a dip in TV ratings last year. Despite the COT (and the inevitable IROC comparisons). Despite a lot of things that naysayers would have you believe.
Is the new TV deal with ABC/ESPN the end-all, be-all? No. Woohoo, the resources of the Worldwide Leader (the leading stick-and-ball network) are being utilized to promote NASCAR. Great -- but it'll still come down to the racing.
Is the Car of Tomorrow the greatest advancement in safety for a sport seemingly consumed with that aspect of racing? No. There will be newer versions of the NASCAR-mandated car which will be touted as even safer than this model, but the COT must be a racecar in more than name.
Is Juan Montoya the face of NASCAR for the near future? No. He will be a part of the sports' marketing campaign, but no one is bigger than the racing.
Is Toyota a deep-pockets boogeyman hell-bent on destroying the very fabric of this American institution? No. The Camry will be one of four makes on the track; no need to fire up the Enola Gay.
But here's where NASCAR is getting off track: manufactured excitement.
When the points and Chase changes were announced, NASCAR president and CEO Brian France said:
• "So we believe the Chase accomplished the original goals, made racing more competitive, made every race at the front end of the season, where in the postseason the final 10 races mean more, and it created more excitement."
• "Second, it maintains competition to the drivers trying to stay in the top 10. You see, when we go to New York, we'll only, as always, have the top 10 on the stage. So two people who qualify for the Chase may very well miss the New York awards ceremony and that important status of being in the top 10. We think going into Homestead that can give us two things for drivers and fans to get excited about, the championship and staying on the stage."
• "You can see that one of the little things or big things, they all go to one area, it's trying to make winning the more important focus and the more important. We're really excited about the changes today because while they may not be radical changes, they are symbolic, and they are not only symbolic, we think they are going to achieve our goals and the new system strikes what we are trying to do, arrive at that intersection with a perfect balance between winning and consistency. I know it's going to provide better competition."
• "We're in a very strong position we are still the No. 2 sport on television. Promoters continue to enjoy great ticket sales throughout the year, and I know 2007 with all of the things that are going on that are to make for an exciting season: The entry of Toyota, the Car of Tomorrow; which you've heard so much about today; racing in Montreal, we're going to get a chance to satisfy our fan base in Canada; welcoming Sirius satellite radio into the family; and welcoming an old friend back in ESPN who helped broadcast the early races with NASCAR when they were just getting started in the '80s."
• "We are excited about the changes and we are excited about where we are at, and we know the Daytona 500 is just around the corner. So with that, thank you very much."
With that much excitement, how can NASCAR not continue to grow its purported 75 million strong fan base?
By manufacturing excitement.
NASCAR should take a page from the NHL's playbook, frame it and put it above the desk of every decision-maker within its hallowed halls. That page should be the one that features the gimmicks that hockey has implemented to alienate its grass roots fans.
Adding more points for victories is a step in the right direction -- but rewarding the race winner a second time (in some cases maybe months later) by "seeding" the Chase drivers by awarding 10 additional points for each regular season victory ... that smacks of P.T. Barnum 101.
Another tweak should have been awarding the lap-leader bonus to only those drivers who run on point under green, and rewarding the pole winner shouldn't be overlooked, either. In the end, from the time teams unload until the checkered flag falls, all on-track competition should be rewarded -- qualifying and racing (and since there is no "racing" under caution, the lap-led bonus for leading under yellow should be eliminated). The 10 bonus points for victories that will go to Chase drivers' regular season victories should be split among a) the pole sitter and b) the race winner.
NASCAR cannot create excitement; the on-track competition should be exciting enough to carry the sport. The fans know the Chase is contrived; don't insult them with false hubbub. NASCAR is at a fork in the road: expanding its fan base or (further) alienating the grass roots fans. Either way the sport isn't going anywhere; it's weathered more than 50 years of change. It will survive.
That said, 2007 cannot be about manufactured excitement. ABC/ESPN, the COT, Montoya and Toyota will take the sport only so far. It must come down to the racing, not only during the Chase but also throughout the first 26 races of the season.
If not, NASCAR will face the damned naysayers.
The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Championships have always driven me to win races. That 3 car pulling into the track would cause people to look around and wonder what we were doing, to see how to beat us."
-Dale Earnhardt
-Dale Earnhardt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NASCAR ON TV THIS WEEKBudweiser Shootout practice Friday, Feb. 9 4 p.m. Speed Channel
Budweiser Shootout practice Friday, Feb. 9 6:30 p.m. Speed Channel
Nextel Cup practice Saturday, Feb. 10 10:30 a.m. Speed Channel
Nextel Cup practice Saturday, Feb. 10 1:30 p.m. Speed Channel
Budweiser Shootout Saturday, Feb. 10 8 p.m. FOX
Daytona 500 qualfying Sunday, Feb. 11 2 p.m. FOX
All time Eastern. Times and station subject to change.
Your
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants wins't climb up there and eat that candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt – 1998
"It's nothin' personal, it's just racin'
-Dale Earnhardt Sr.
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